English 1302
Dr. Christopher Dunn
Email Address: christopher.dunn@hccs.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
ENGL 1302 COMPOSITION II
Prerequisite: Composition 1301 or satisfactory score on the CLEP Exam; Must be placed
into college-level reading and college-level writing.
A more extensive study of the skills introduced in ENGL 1301 with an emphasis on
critical thinking, research and documentation techniques, and literary and rhetorical
analysis. Core Curriculum Course.
POLICIES:
Attendance: Mandatory. The structure of this course requires active participation in
class discussion and the various workshops; therefore, your attendance is needed and
subsequently expected. I may drop you at any time after two (2) absences.
Tardiness: Arriving late on a regular basis is unfair both to your fellow students and me,
so arrive on time each and every class.
Academic Honesty: According to college and departmental policy, plagiarism (broadly
defined as passing off somebody else’s work as your own) constitutes ground for failure
of the assignment in question (in this class, you will receive a zero (0) on any essay that
shows evidence of plagiarism), possible failure of the course, or even suspension from
the college. Protect yourself by keeping all drafts of your essay and by being aware of
your writing process. If you use an outside source, cite it appropriately. If you have any
questions about whether you should or how to cite an outside source, consult with me
before turning in your essay. For information on plagiarism, please review pages 626635 in LBH.
Course Withdrawal
If you do not withdraw from the class before the deadline, you will receive the grade that
you are making as the final grade rather than a “W.” This grade (due to missing classes
and missing work) will generally be an “F.”
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
ESSAY 1
20%
ESSAY 2
25%
Students are required to complete and submit all of the above essays in order to pass the
course. You will receive written prompts for each of the essay assignments. Grades on
late papers will drop one letter grade for each class period beyond the due date. Any
paper more than two (2) classes late will receive a zero (0). Also, any in-class work
dedicated to the completion of your essays will be turned in and graded. This includes,
but is not limited to: freewriting, peer editing and critiquing, invention activities, and
specific goal-oriented assignments.
Expect both pop and scheduled quizzes throughout the course of the term. In general,
quizzes test reading comprehension and knowledge of important concepts presented both
in the assigned readings and lectures. If you miss a quiz, you receive a zero (0).
Class Participation
10%
Learning Web Assignments
15%
MIDTERM EXAM
15%
The midterm exam will consist of identification and short answer responses.
FINAL EXAM
15%
The final exam will be an in-class essay. We will discuss the final exam during the
penultimate week of the semester.
Free English Tutoring
The Southwest College offers free tutoring at our tutoring centers where you will receive
individual attention with any of your writing concerns. Make certain to bring your books
and assignments with you when you go to the tutoring lab. Partial list of locations: Alief
Center—Rm. 154; Greenbriar Annex (Stafford Campus)—Rm. 106; Scarcella Stafford
Campus—Rm. E113; and West Loop Center—Rm. 168.
Open Computer Lab
You have free access to the Internet and word processing in the open computer lab in the
Scarcella Science Center (Stafford Campus), the Alief Campus, and the West Loop
Campus. Check the door of the open computer labs for hours of operation. All HCCS
students are encouraged to utilize this resource. A fee is charged for printed work (per
page).
Student Organizations
Three organizations of interest to students taking English classes are 1) Southwest
Writers, a group of students who write and read their works (in a public forum as well as
on the Internet) and receive peer support and constructive criticism. Students in this
group create a supportive network to create poetry, fiction, drama, and non-fiction prose.
Contact advisor Dr. Chris Dunn @ chris.dunn@hccs.edu; 2) Phi Theta Kappa, the honor
society of two-year colleges. Students must earn a 3.5 grade point average and
accumulate 9 credit hours in order to be admitted. HCCS has a very active chapter:
Omega Sigma. Ms. Eunice Kalarackal, eunice.kalarackal@hccs.edu, is the contact
advisor for Omega Sigma; and 3) the Women and Gender Studies Club. Ms. Marie
Dybala, marie.dybala@hccs.edu, and Dr. Amy Tan, amy.tan@hccs.edu, are the club
sponsors.
Special Conditions
HCC policy states that any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning,
psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must
contact the Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each
semester. Faculty members are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested
by the Disability Support Services Office. If you have any questions, please contact the
disability counselor at your college or Donna Price at 713-718-5165. That being said, I
urge you to let me and the Support Services know if you have any special conditions,
extenuating circumstances, or needs that may affect your progress in this course or other
courses. I'm happy to work with you in any way I can.
Texas Law Regarding Course Withdrawal
Students who repeat a course more than twice face significant tuition/fee increases at
HCC ($50 per course hour) and other Texas public colleges and universities. Please ask
your instructor or counselor about opportunities for tutoring and/or other assistance prior
to considering course withdrawal or if you are not receiving passing grades.
International Students
Receiving a “W” in this class may affect the status of your student visa. Once a “W” is
given for the course, it will not be changed to an “F” because of the visa consideration.
Please contact the International Student Office at 713.718.8520 if you have any questions
about your visa status and any other transfer issues.
Use of Cameras and Recording Devices
Use of recording devices, including camera phones and tape recorders, is prohibited in
classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, and other locations where instruction, tutoring,
or testing occurs. These devices are also not allowed to be used in campus restrooms.
Students with disabilities who need to use a recording device as a reasonable
accommodation should contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for information
regarding reasonable accommodations.
Mission Statement of the English Department
The purpose of the English department is to prepare students to write clear, wellorganized, detailed, and cogent prose; develop students’ reading, writing, and analytical
skills; introduce students to literature from diverse traditions; and provide courses that
transfer to four-year colleges.
HCCS STUDENT-LEARNING OUCOMES FOR ENGLISH 1302
1.
Apply basic principles of rhetorical analysis.
2.
Write essays that classify, explain, and evaluate rhetorical and literary strategies
employed in argument, persuasion, and various forms of literature.
3.
Identify, differentiate, integrate, and synthesize research materials into
argumentative and/or analytical essays.
4.
Employ appropriate documentation style and format across the spectrum of in-class
and out-of-class written discourse.
5.
Demonstrate library literacy.
HCCS CORE CURRICULUM INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCIES AND
EXEMPLARY EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES—ENGLISH 1301 AND 1302
I. BASIC INTELLECTUAL COMPETENCIES IN HCCS CORE
·
READING: Reading material at the college level means having the ability to
analyze and interpret a variety of materials—books, articles, and other documents.
·
WRITING: Writing at the college level means having the ability to produce clear,
correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience. In addition to
knowing correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, students should also become
familiar with the writing process, including how to discover a topic, how to develop and
organize it, and how to phrase it effectively for their audience. These abilities are
acquired through practice and reflection.
·
SPEAKING: Effective speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear,
coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience.
·
LISTENING: Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and
interpret various forms of spoken and other audible communication.
·
CRITICAL THINKING: Critical thinking embraces methods of applying both
qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to
evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the
applications of critical thinking used to address an identified task.
·
COMPUTER LITERACY: Computer literacy at the college level means having
the ability to use computer-based technology in communicating, solving problems, and
acquiring information. Core-educated students should have an understanding of the
possibilities, limits, and problems associated with the use of technology and should have
the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available.